Memory Cleanup on Xiaomi Redmi 9C: from cache to complete reset

Xiaomi Redmi 9C is a budget smartphone with 64 or 128 GB of internal memory, but even this amount becomes scarce over time. High-resolution photos, app cache, system updates and digital garbage eat precious gigabytes, and the phone begins to slow down. In this article, we will examine all working methods of cleaning memory, from manual deleting files to hidden MIUI functions that are not written in the official instructions.

The Redmi 9C (M2006C3LG and M2006C3MI) feature is that there is no memory card slot in some regional versions, which means that users have to operate exclusively on the built-in drive, and we tested each method on MIUI 12.5-14 firmware and found which ones maximize free space gains without risking data.

1. Analysis of occupied space: what exactly eats memory?

Before you clean, you need to understand which files take up the most space. Redmi 9C has a built-in tool for this:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → Memory.
2. Click on the graph "Occupied" - the system will show the distribution by category: Applications, Media, Files, System.
3. Tap on any category (such as “Apps”) to see the top of the most “gluttonous” programs.

A typical picture on the Redmi 9C after a year of use:

On Redmi 9C with MIUI 12.5+, the system automatically creates a MIUI/Extra folder where duplicate photos are stored for processing algorithms, which can be safely deleted, which will free up to 500 MB.

2.Cache cleanup: a quick way without data loss

Cache is a temporary file that apps create to make things faster. On Redmi 9C, they can take up to 10GB, but deleting them won't affect your accounts or your settings. There are two ways:

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube or Facebook).
3. Click on Clear Cache. To clean up completely, tap Clear Data (but this will delete logins!).

Method 2: Mass cleaning (hidden function)

MIUI allows you to delete the cache of all applications at once, but the option is hidden:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Cleaning.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Deep Clean".
3. Check all the applications and confirm them.

⚠️ Note: After the cache is cleaned, some apps (like Google Maps or Instagram) will load longer when they first run, which is normal. Don't confuse cache with app data: cleaning the latter will lead to logging out of accounts!

Close all background applications | Connect your phone to charge (process can take 5-10 minutes) | Check free space BEFORE and AFTER cleaning | Do not interrupt the process (may cause lags)

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3. manually delete unnecessary files

Even after cleaning the cache, Redmi 9C still has “invisible” files in its memory: duplicate photos, downloads from instant messengers, logs of system errors, and can be found through the built-in File Manager:

What to look for and remove:

• 📁 Download folder - here accumulate APK, PDF And other browser downloads. Often weighs 1 to 3 GB.
• 🖼️ folder DCIM/.thumbnails — So you can take out miniatures of photos that the system creates automatically.
• 📱 folder Android/obb — Game files (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) can weigh in on the game. 2–4 GB.
• 🔄 folder MIUI/Extra — Photo duplicates for processing (unique for Xiaomi).

How to find large files:

1. Open File Manager → Categories → Large files.
2. Sort by size and remove unnecessary ones (such as old videos or backups).

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders Android/data and Android/obb It will cause the installed games to crash, only delete the files of specific applications that you no longer use.

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If you're not sure if you can delete a file, move it to a folder on your desktop (create a Temp, for example). If your phone is working normally after a day or two, delete it safely.

4. Transfer files to a memory card or to the cloud

The Redmi 9C Global (NFC) supports microSD cards up to 512GB, but not all files can be transferred to them.

What can be transferred to SD-map:

• 📸 Photos and videos - through the Gallery → Select → Move it to SD.
• 🎵 Music and podcasts – in apps like Spotify or YouTube Music, you can choose a map as a place to save.
• 📄 Documents – Manually via File Manager.

What I CAN'T move:

• 📱 Apps (only if they support this feature, such as WhatsApp).
• 🎮 Game data (save, cache) – this will lead to errors.
• 🔧 System files MIUI.

Alternative to memory card – cloud storage:

How to set up autoload in Google Photos:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Open Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. Choose High Quality (Free Compression) or Original (Collected at 15GB).
4. Turn on the option “Only via Wi-Fi” to avoid wasting mobile traffic.

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Moving files to a memory card or cloud doesn’t automatically free up space – you need to manually delete the originals from your phone after copying!

5. Removal of system debris and application residues

MIUI leaves behind tails — remote application files, log files, temporary update data — that require third-party software or hidden features to clean.

Method 1: Through Security App (embedded application)

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to the "Cleaning" tab.
3. Click on “Deep Cleanup” → “Junk Files”.
4. Mark all points and confirm the removal.

Method 2: Manual removal via ADB (for advanced)

If the phone is rooted or you have access to ADB, you can delete hidden files:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep"uninstall" | awk -F='{print $2}' | xargs adb uninstall

This command removes the remnants of uninstalled applications, and be careful that misusing ADB can damage the system.

Method 3: Third-party applications

For non-rooted devices, suitable:

• 🧹 SD Maid – Finds duplicates and empty folders.
• 🗑️ Files by Google – Remove unnecessary files and duplicates.
• 🔍 CCleaner – Clears the cache and history.

⚠️ Note: Applications such as Clean Master or DU Speed Booster often show false "issues" and aggressively advertise paid features. on Redmi 9C They may conflict with MIUI — Better use built-in tools.

6.Reset to factory settings: a last resort

If there is a critically small amount of space (less than 1 GB) and the phone is slowing down, a complete reset will help.This will delete all data, including photos, messages and apps, so first:

Backup to Mi Cloud or Google Drive| Record usernames/passwords from accounts |Transfer photo/video to PC or memory card |Make sure the battery is charged >50%

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How to reset Redmi 9C:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data”.
3. Enter your password (if installed) and confirm.
4. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After discharge:

• 📱 The phone will be like (new), with firmware out of the box».
• 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → Updating the system.
• 📲 Restore data from backup (if you did).

On Redmi 9C, the factory reset does not delete files from the memory card (if installed), but erases all data from internal memory, including the DCIM folder with the photo.

7.Memory optimization: how to prevent future filling

To prevent memory from clogging again, set up Redmi 9C according to these rules:

MIUI settings to save space:

• 📱 Limit the cache for apps: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Select an application → Limit background activity.
• 🔄 Turn off auto-update apps in Play Market: Settings → Auto-update → Only through Wi-Fi.
• 📸 Set the camera to shoot in lower resolution: Camera → Settings → Photo permission → 12 MP instead of 13 MP.
• 🗑️ Enable automatic cleaning: Settings → Memory. → Autocleaning (remove garbage at low memory level).

Habits that will keep the place:

• 📥 Delete files from Download once a week.
• 🎮 Do not store heavy games on your phone (for example, PUBG Mobile weighs ~2GB).
• 📧 Clean Email in Gmail or Mi Mail – attachments can weigh hundreds of megabytes.
• 🔍 Check your memory once a month through Settings → Memory.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory cleaning on Redmi 9C